Adam Gase – December 18, 2016
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Sunday, December 18, 2016
Head Coach Adam Gase
(I believe you are No. 2 in the league right now in terms of point differential from halftime through the end of games, including overtime. What do you attribute that to?) – “Slow starts and then picking it up. (laughter) I don’t know. It’s something that we actually talked about. What if we actually got something going in the first quarter, how different maybe some of these games would be? A little bit has to do with our coaching staff doing a good a job of making some adjustments. Our players are coming out energized and taking advantage of anything that they saw in the first half. (We’re) just really playing four quarters. I think our guys are in great shape and they stay aggressive and they don’t let a couple of bad things early affect them.”
(Do you ever go Knute Rockne on them at halftime?) – “Not really. That’s not my style. Guys do a good job. They get themselves juiced up pretty good.”
(How far along would you say CB Tony Lippett has come as a cornerback from the beginning of the season to now?) – “He’s done a great job as far as staying with what he’s being coached to do. He’s fought through little adversities. He had some rough games and he’s had a couple of times where people want him out of there, outside our building, and kind of given up on the fact that he was a wide receiver that went to the other side of the ball. He struck with it. He practiced hard. He practices hard every day and he tries to get better and he competes and then every week he’s gotten a little bit better. This last game was a good indication of why we like him over there. His ball skills are unique for a corner, and when he gets his hands on the ball, he usually brings it down.”
(Did the game tape show you anything about QB Matt Moore’s game that by the naked eye you didn’t realize or appreciate?) – “No. I think it was pretty much what we thought it was going to be as far as we were going to get some unscheduled plays and he did a good job staying with what we talked about all week. They did do some things that surprised us a little bit. They were a little more aggressive on third down than I think we anticipated; but we took advantage of it.”
(Speaking of that, Bill Parcells, he used to always speak about when a team wants to bring heat on third downs or they want to blitz you, you make them pay every single time, as teams actually relish that. Is that kind of the mindset that you’re instilling over here as well?) – “A little bit. Every game is different. Sometimes you can be aggressive because guys are sitting on the ball or sitting on the sticks or they’re pressing you. Sometimes guys, they bring everybody, but they play soft and they’ll let you catch a ball in front and just hope they can tackle. They’ll get you underneath the first down. But yesterday was a great example of they were being aggressive and playing tight enough to where we had an opportunity to go over the top.”
(How did C/G Kraig Urbik’s play at center compared to what you’ve been getting with C/G Anthony Steen?) – “He did a good job. It’s hard to compare one game. (Anthony) Steen did a lot of good things for us in the games that he played. Yesterday was just … There are some growing pains there and guys are getting used to playing with each other.”
(We’ve seen examples of guys that become special teams demons and make careers out of it. Was that a conversation you ever had to have with S Walt Aikens in terms of saying you might not have a lot of defensive snaps but if you focus on this or did he know that naturally?) – “Walt (Aikens) just … Basically whatever opportunity he gets, he’s going to take full advantage of it. We encourage all our guys, whether they’re on special teams or defense, to make sure they can contribute as many ways as possible and Walt’s (Aikens) the kind of guy that if he gets an opportunity on defense, you’ll get everything he has. If special teams is his role for that week, then you’re going to get something from him.”
(As far as the run defense is concerned – obviously, you’ve had some difficulty there – what are some things that need to be done to make sure that’s right?) – “You have to keep working on your fits and (have) all three, basically – the d-line, linebackers and the secondary – everybody fitting it together. We’ve had a lot of moving parts going in and out, especially the last couple weeks. We get starters back and then we lose a guy. Sometimes it becomes difficult. It’s no different than when we talked about the offensive line trying to get those guys some chemistry. It’s the same thing on defense. You’re just trying to play off each other, and we keep having all these moving pieces. That’s one of the reasons why we struggled. We’ve got to try to find a way to play together. Sometimes it becomes tough. When you’re playing a team that has us covered up pretty good and then they get to that next level, we have to make sure we get them down the first time.”
(LB Jelani Jenkins spoke about communication. Do you think guys moving in and out of the lineup is a big part of why the communication might not be …) – “Sometimes. Every play is like its own little story, and it’s hard to say it is just one thing. You try to clean things up as far as fast as possible. I think at the end of the day, if we can get better at making sure we’re consistently tackling on the first hit – and we get that guy down – you’re going to see a lot of these yards, really, go away, because now you don’t have yards after contact. Now all of a sudden 4 yards, it’s becoming 12. If we can avoid some of that, we’ll be in better shape. We have to make sure that we get that first guy down. It’s tough, because I think we set a record yesterday for most guys playing in hand casts. (laughter) It has kind of really affected our tacking ability. (laughter) But I love the fact that our guys are … They’re selling out. They’re giving us everything they have. We have to make some improvement here in the last two games and prevent these guys from getting shorter gains becoming larger gains.”
(Has TE Dion Sims shown you anything different than you saw in September or early August?) – “It has really been the same. Every time he has been out there, he has contributed. Yesterday, he really lucked out a little bit on those touchdowns. He wasn’t really primary, but he was (in the) right place at the right time and made a play. He made a great catch on that third down in the corner of the end zone and then did a great job as far as what we were asking him to do on the route with … That ball was supposed to go to Damien (Williams), but he did a good job as far as being in the right spot after the initial read was taken away, and Matt (Moore) did a great job of finding him. Then he made a great adjustment on that ball down the field. Once again, that wasn’t really what we planned on throwing. When I saw him turn over there, I was like, ‘Where’s this going?’ That’s the fun part of calling games. When you get some new guys in there, it kind of becomes some street ball sometimes, and it’s fun to be a part of.”
(You spoke in March about wanting to see consistency from TE Dion Sims. Has he sort of exceeded your expectations at all?) – “No. It’s basically what he has been all year. We lost him there for a little bit with some injury, but he has been consistent. He has done a really good job run blocking. He does a really good job (in) pass protection. He has really excelled in the passing game, because I think it’s opportunity. He has gotten some opportunity. He hasn’t been used as just a blocker. Ever since that New England game when he caught that one ball where he was going across the field and made a great catch on third down, he showed everybody, ‘I can run. I can catch.’ There are a lot of things he can do to contribute.”
(You get a convincing win on the road, in the cold, new quarterback, stakes higher than this franchise has been around much the last few years. With all that, what pleases you the most about what you saw?) – “I think the fact that our guys, they stay with our process. Once again, somebody goes down, everybody rallies around them, and they step up their game. You have a guy that comes in that hasn’t played in five years – hadn’t started in five years – (and you have) a guy like Jarvis (Landry) taking a 5-yard pass and going 66 yards for a touchdown. Just little things like that swing the game so much: Special teams stepping up, blocking a punt and scoring a touchdown; defense finding multiple ways to get turnovers; a guy like ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) coming in and absolutely playing as well as I’ve ever seen him play since he has been with us. (There were) just guys stepping up all over the place. You don’t hear our guys putting our head down and being upset if a guy goes down. It’s that rallying cry of next-man-up, and guys have embraced it, and they have done a great job with it.”
(Do you find yourself marveling over DE Cameron Wake, or do you just come to expect that you see it every day?) – “It’s one of those situations where … I hadn’t been on the other side of the ball against him a lot over my career being in a different division in the AFC. I had always heard about him, but being able to see him day-in and day-out, watch how he prepares, watch how he takes care of his body, watch how he practices, and then when you watch him in a game, in my head, I almost feel like he has got like 30 sacks, because I feel like I see him doing his sack dance like five times a game. The guy is unbelievable. He finds a way to make huge plays at the most critical situations of the game. He’s one of those great players that has that ability to where he knows it’s the right time where something amps up in him and he makes a play. That’s what you need out of your playmakers.”
(You mentioned about calling the game for QB Matt Moore. Did it turn out to be the game you expected to call for him?) – “Yes, pretty much. It felt right. It was … There are still some things that I’m trying to learn with him that’s different than Ryan (Tannehill) and it does take a second. Trying to figure out the little ins and outs of how he thinks and how fast he can go or wants to go, how he calls plays, what he does at the line of scrimmage. Every guy is a little different. Some guys process things in certain plays different than another quarterback, so you’re always trying to figure out what’s the best thing to allow him the most amount of time. Do shifts work? Do they not? There’s a whole bunch of little tiny things that you’re always trying to figure out what’s best for that quarterback.”
(WR Jarvis Landry, the cornerback on the touchdown, the cornerback is playing inside leverage and he’s still able to get where he wants to get across the DBs face. How is it that he’s able to get where he wants to on the field whenever he wants to?) – “He knows where the guy is supposed to be. He’s supposed to be outside. So he forced the guy to jump outside, panicked the DB and once he crossed his face, that was basically, if he broke that tackle, then it was him one-on-one with the safety. We were waiting for that one. We were hoping we’d get that coverage and we did. I think everyone on our offense knew where that ball was going. It was just a matter of how far he was going to take it.”
(I’d like to ask you a two-part question on replays. First, what is your process for determining when to throw the red flag? And second, at one point, actually for most of the game last night, you were 2-for-2 in challenges and yet you had one challenge remaining. The Jets were 0-for1 and they had only one challenge remaining. Do you like that system or do you think that should be tweaked?) – “Whatever the system is, it is. I’m not one to really worry about changing rules and things. Whatever they say it is, it is. I’m not here to waste time on that. As far as the challenge goes, we have a pretty good system. I have a lot of confidence between (Assistant Special Teams Coach Marwan) Maalouf and (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren) Rizzi, as our discussions. It’s really easy for the access that we have to where they kind of follow me on our lines to where I’m able to call plays, and especially on offense, that’s where it can get a little dicey for me to where I’m trying to call plays and at the same time, I’m trying to figure out what’s the right thing to do. You’re trying to do two jobs at the same time, so your mind can be going a little bit all over the place. Those two guys are great to be around because we constantly are communicating during the game, but we talk about it a lot outside of Sunday or Saturday, where if something happens to somebody else, we’re always having those discussions and it’ll be brief but Maalouf does a great job of keeping me updated on situations around the NFL to where, ‘Hey, did you see this happen? Hey, I’m going to send you a cut up. So take a look at this. Just so you know if we’re in that situation, what we’re looking at.’ So those guys do a great job as far as keeping me on track during games and that communication has been critical for us this year.”
(A little off track, but going back to when you put your staff together, you and Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph don’t have any background together do you?) – “Yes, we were in San Francisco together in 2008.”
(So you got to know him then?)- “Yes, we were both … I was an offensive assistant. He was a defensive assistant.”
(Did you guys sleep last night?) – “A little bit. Not much.”
(When did you guys get in? 4?) – “I think it was 5 (a.m.). So, (it was) fun.”
(You’re so focused on the next game, the next task at hand – laser focused. Your team seems to have taken that firmly, but the same time is there any excitement over what you’ve achieved? I mean to be 9-5 after 1-4, is there any moment of, ‘This is exciting!’) – “I think you know what my answer is going to be right now. (laughter) It’s just wasting paper here, the internet. Whatever. (laughter) That’s been a great thing that our players have just embraced is let’s just focus on what we’re doing right now. We play until somebody tells us not to. We just need to stick with that mantra.”
Matt Moore – December 18, 2016
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Sunday, December 18, 2016
Quarterback Matt Moore
(On the team’s performance yesterday) – “We’ll see from the tape, like I said, coming up in about a minute or so; but it’s good. The vibe in the locker room and the vibe with the guys is good and we just need to keep it going.”
(Was there a sense, at some point, where you thought this is going to work out really well?) – “I think the blocked punt kind of sparked everything. It kind of got us rolling as a team. I just knew at the point we needed to kind of keep the gas pedal down and keep going. So that was probably the point.”
(Did you wake up feeling fine? Physically?) – “I feel good. Yes. I got hit a little bit, which hasn’t happened in a while; but it feels good to feel that way.”
(Is it possible your best pass last night was 1-yard to TE Dion Sims?) – “(laughter) Yes. It was a heck of a job by him in making the play and scoring. But that was good, yes.”
(What did QB Ryan Tannehill say to you after the game?) – “He was just fired up. He just said, ‘Congrats. Good job. Go get another one.’”
(How does high end speed, like WR Kenny Stills has, help an offense?) – “Yes. It’s big to have a guy like that. It’s hard to score from long distance and he seems to make a habit of it, so it’s good. But it causes trouble for the defense. You love it when you get those opportunities to throw it downfield that you have a guy that can go get it, so it’s good to have.”
(Is part of the fun here now that the stakes are ramping up every week, especially when you win?) – “Yes. I said it last night, we’re focused on one week at a time. I think guys understand the opportunities that we have, but we’re one week at a time, moving forward.”
(Why is this team so successful in the second half of games?) – “Guys just keep playing, keep fighting. I think they do a good job … we do a good job of adjusting, both offensively and defensively. I think we’re well-conditioned, that’s kind of been a theme all year for us. (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase has kind of preached that. So I think all of those things play into it.”
(Does it help that this team, and your teammates have said this during the week leading up to this, that they believed in you? Offensive Coordinator Clyde Christensen called you the Pied Piper, guys follow you. Was there a sense of, ‘These guys believe in me, I can get this done, I’ve been out there before, it’s not going to be an issue?’) – “Yes, I was confident. I think I have a good pulse of the guys and how they feel, and even if I didn’t, I’d probably fake it. You know what I mean? (laughter) That’s just kind of how I went into it. But I felt really good and I knew the guys felt good, so it was a good way to start it.”
(What’s the significance for the team having clinched a winning record? If anything.) – “I don’t know. I don’t know how to answer that. The season’s not over so like I said, we’re one week at a time. When it’s all said and done, we can figure out the significance of the season then.”
(Because it is late December and you’re in the thick of the playoff race, how different is this for you than the other times you’ve been a starting quarterback?) – “I don’t know. I don’t feel any different. I can’t think about the outside world and the numbers and the matchups and whatever it’s going to be. Again, I’m just focused on reviewing this game and moving on to Buffalo, and that’s my focus.”
(Do you want to keep it the same as always?) – “I do.”
Byron Maxwell – December 18, 2016
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Sunday, December 18, 2016
Cornerback Byron Maxwell
(With the ankle, do you feel any better?) – “Yes, it feels better. It feels good.”
(Are you hopeful that you’ll be able to play next Sunday or is it way too early to tell?) – “It’s way too early to tell. We’ll know more as we get more information. I just had the MRI, so we’ll know more today.”
(Is there concern that it could be more than just a sprain?) – “I have no idea. I’m waiting for the information.
(Do you need any help in terms of walking like a crutch or are you able to put pressure on it when you’re walking?) – “It’s a little tender right now but I’m able to walk on it.”
(What did you see from CB Xavien Howard in his first game back?) – “I saw a kid that wasn’t afraid of the moment. He understood what he had to do when he got in and he was ready. When his name was called, he was ready to ball.”
(What did you tell him after the game?) – “I was just proud of him. He stepped up. That’s what the team needed and that’s what you need, though, when you’re trying to go where we’re trying to go.”
(You definitely need that depth at cornerback anyway, don’t you?) – “You need it everywhere; but, yes, especially there. I look at the Denver Broncos, they’ve got three or four guys that can be called upon – as far as in the secondary – that can play. So we definitely are trying to be that type of team.”
(It looked like the secondary was really aggressive in reading where QB Bryce Petty was going and jumping on some things.) –“Yes, there were a couple times where if he just threw it, Xavien (Howard) probably would’ve had a pick. I remember on a slant, if he just threw it and let it go, it was probably going the other way.”
(How much better a player is CB Tony Lippett than the day you arrived here to now?) – “He’s leaps and bounds better. You can see the game starting to slow down for him. I think him having that offensive background is definitely helping him. He knows our guys running routes. He knows splits. He’s a guy that you can tell, just by talking to him in meetings, that he’s starting to understand the game and it’s starting to pick up for him.”
(Speaking of Denver, are you going to find yourself watching their game today since obviously it affects you guys in terms of playoffs?) – “Yes, I’m not sure. I think it’s like … What did they say? It was Denver? We need Denver to lose or something like that?”
(At some point, yes.) – “I’m just going to watch a whole bunch of football this Sunday to just get to relax.”
(So are you a New England fan today?) – “No, I’m not a New England fan.” (laughter)
(For three hours you might be.) – “I don’t know. Could a tie help?” (laughter)
(You guys are playing more vision coverage. How has that helped you guys to be able to read the quarterback’s eyes and react to the football?) – “It’s definitely better. It’s a chance to make plays and break on the ball. So it definitely helps to get your eyes back to the quarterback. Things happen. You’re thinking very opportunistic when you get your eyes back.”
(And when the defensive front is getting pressure on QB Bryce Petty like that and the ball has to come out quickly, is that also a help for you guys?) – “Definitely. I went back and looked at (Ndamukong) Suh and guys like Cameron Wake, I’m just amazed at them. I was looking at Suh, it was on … You go back and look at the TV copy, and he reminds me of a Reggie White-type. He was just so … I’m looking at him and I’m like, ‘This dude is huge.’ So it’s great to be a teammate of these dudes. They’re great guys. You know they’re going to get pressure on the ball. You know what they’re going to bring to the game every week. I feel great to be behind them playing with those guys.”
(I believe you guys are +53 in point differential in second halves and overtimes, which is No. 2 in the league. Why is this team so successful in second halves? What’s going on at halftime or whatever that gets you where you need to be?) – “Yes, I think it’s definitely halftime adjustments. We just focus on finishing better than the other team, and we train harder, I think. We’re smart when we’re training but we definitely … At least me, I try to take it to the edge every time I’m out there at practice. You can tell it is starting to pay off. We’re more conditioned when we get to the fourth quarter and we feel stronger. It’s like, ‘Time to finish.’”
(I imagine sometimes over the last few months, you’ve been up against WR Kenny Stills in practice. What does he do for an offense, not only in terms of having a deep threat, but what he can do to make defensive backs of opposing teams maybe not be able to concentrate on shorter routes against WR Jarvis Landry and WR DeVante Parker?) – “Yes, like I said, he’s the deep threat. So it’s good to always have that guy in your back pocket. You can throw it 40, 50 yards down the field and change the game in the blink of an eye. So that’s always good for offense to have that threat and be able to change field position.”
(Is he one of the few fastest you’ve covered in practice or games?) – “Yes, when he goes, his top end speed is up there with the best.”
(Is there a sense the stakes are getting greater with every week now?) – “Yes, that’s definitely what it is. But you embrace that. That’s December football. That’s where it’s at. That’s normal for a team that’s trying to go where we’re going. So we embrace that. That’s cool.”
(So with that in mind, to see the way the team responded last night, how much confidence does that give you going forward?) – “It’s a lot of confidence. We have one … We have Buffalo right here, an away game. We have to take care of them.”
(More cold weather.) – “More cold weather. It’s not true. It is what it is. They have to play in it too.”
(You’ve played in cold weather quite a bit. Was there any talk about it this week?) – “No talk. We’re not making giants of small stuff. We didn’t worry about it. Like I said, they have to play in it too. It wasn’t an issue. (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase didn’t bring it up one time.”
Jay Ajayi – December 17, 2016 (Postgame)
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Saturday, December 17, 2016
Postgame – at New York
Miami Dolphins RB Jay Ajayi (as transcribed by the New York Jets)
On how it feels to reach 1,000 rushing yards on the season…
I think that probably after this season when I look at it, it’ll probably sink in a little bit more than it is right now, but just knowing how much it takes to get to 1,000 yards, I’m appreciative of the hard work that everyone has put in collectively, o-line, receivers, tight ends and myself included, just to be able to get to this point. So, I’m grateful.
On whether it was frustrating to run the ball against the Jets’ defensive line…
Yeah, it was tough today. I mean, it’s not excuses. I don’t really care if they stack the box or not, I always try to produce and that’s my mindset. It wasn’t what we are capable of on the ground, but we got the win and that’s what matters.
On his teammates having to calm him down when he got frustrated…
Like I said, I don’t really care. All I see is just trying to make plays and make things happen.
On how good it feels to come to New York and get a win…
This is huge. These are games that are very meaningful right now, division games, trying to make the playoffs and we’re in the hunt for it. We need to win games like this and we handled our business tonight. Now we’re onto the Bills and we’re going to make sure we do the same next week.
Walt Aikens – December 17, 2016 (Postgame)
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Saturday, December 17, 2016
Postgame – at New York
Miami Dolphins S Walt Aikens (as transcribed by the New York Jets)
On scoring on his punt block….
I knew I got a piece of it. Then it was “See ball, get ball”. As a defensive player, getting the scoop and score is our motto.
On being unblocked on his punt block…
I was surprised. But (Darren Rizzi) always tells us, don’t come in there like you will get blocked because you never know who will come free. I was in the right place at the right time.
Dion Sims – December 17, 2016 (Postgame)
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Saturday, December 17, 2016
Postgame – at New York
Miami Dolphins TE Dion Sims (as transcribed by the New York Jets)
On what has been the key to his success in the second half of the season…
Just grinding, just putting my head down and being the workhorse that I am and producing when my number is called. That’s pretty much it.
On whether he expected to have so much success since he was considered a blocking tight end…
Anything they want me to do. I’m just doing my part, doing my job. Opportunities are there and it’s coming, so I just produce when my number is called. Whatever my role is, I embrace it and I do whatever I can to help the team.
On what it says about the team that a lot of guys are stepping up…
We’re competitors. Everybody is a competitor and we want to compete. That’s pretty much it point blank. And (Coach) Gase always talks about the next man up and he preaches it, so guys are ready for that and when their number is called, they’re just going out there and having fun and just doing what we love.
On how good it feels to come to New York and get a convincing win…
It’s big, getting a division win and coming out here in an away game in the cold, it’s good. It’s something that we prepared all week for and we knew that we were facing a tough defense. It feels good to get a win on the road.
Cameron Wake – December 17, 2016 (Postgame)
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Saturday, December 17, 2016
Postgame – at New York
Miami Dolphins DE Cameron Wake (as transcribed by the New York Jets)
On his interception and sack…
We’re having a lot of fun out there. Obviously, I’m not back in coverage very often, so that was a new one for me, but the ball was there. I had to go back to my linebacker days. I put my hands on it. Other than that, it was just a game where a lot guys were making a lot of plays literally all over the field, special teams, offense, defense. We knew what kind of game it was going to be coming in. I think the guys prepared and we got a win.
On what he was thinking on the interception when the ball was in the air…
Just catch it. Funny enough, I work on catching more than probably most defensive ends, but you never know when that opportunity’s going to be there. That was kind of one of the mantras of this week is, you don’t know which play it’s going to be, just make it when it comes. Whether it’s a blocked punt, interceptions, sacks, you never know what it’s going to be. You have to make sure you make the most of the opportunity.
On what impact Miami’s pressure on the quarterback had on the game…
Every week I feel like, with the guys we have, that can be a tremendous part of our game—getting after the quarterback. Obviously, stopping the run and getting after the quarterback, playing aggressive, that’s always going to be at the top of our list for things to do on Sundays. This week was no different. We didn’t know exactly what type of front they were going to have. They had some guys banged up just like we do. Every play you have to beat the man across from you. Week-in and week-out that’s our mentality. I know I can speak for everybody, I don’t care who you put up there, we’re going to do our best to beat you. I think [more] times than not that’s going to be a successful play for us.
Matt Moore – December 17, 2016 (Postgame)
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Saturday, December 17, 2016
Postgame – at New York
Miami Dolphins QB Matt Moore (as transcribed by the New York Jets)
On his performance tonight…
When you come out with the win, all is well. But there are some things we have to look at and clean up for sure. But overall I think communication was pretty good against a good defense. The execution was there for the most part. Again, there are some things to clean up. When you get a ‘W’ against a divisional team on the road, that’s what you want.
On his feelings before the game…
There were some nerves. I’d be lying if I said there weren’t some nerves. Maybe it showed early. We started off slowly, but then we got into a groove in the middle part of the game. But once we got going, all of that negative stuff wore off. A couple of guys made some big plays and then we got on a roll. Credit to those guys for getting us going. The blocked punt, Jarvis Landry’s touchdown, all of it. It was pretty awesome down there getting stops at the goal line and then making something happen. Guys didn’t give up. That made it easier on me.
On if the defense’s focus on stopping the running game gave him opportunities…
Yes, like I said, it’s a good front. There were opportunities. Then it turned into a pressure game midway through and we had to have some answers. We did. We wanted to run the ball and again it was tough. But it allowed us to make some plays in the passing game. Once those guys got the ball in their hands, it was pretty impressive.
On how he feels after starting a game after such a long time…
I’m fired up. It’s a great feeling. We’re definitely going to enjoy it. I’m going to enjoy it and get ready to get back to work. We have another game next week. Our focus will be to win that one, but it feels great.
On his week after having a child last Monday and getting a divisional win on the road tonight…
It’s wild, but that’s the way it goes.
On his conversations with Ryan Tannehill during the game…
He was awesome, and I expected it to be that way. We talked about a few little things like IDs on the defense, what he saw from the sidelines, how he saw the backside cornerback playing. ‘Hey if you see this again, we could probably get this look.’ Extremely helpful, and I expected that. That’s who he is.
On the significance of a career-high four TDs in his first start in five years…
It’s a team win. I didn’t run 70 yards on Landry’s touchdown. So credit the guys that made the plays. Is it a good thing? Absolutely. But there’s no way that happens without those guys.
On the Kenny Stills play and the reaction after it…
We had max protection and they brought cover zero up. The defense wins those situations a lot of times. Just to execute the way we did…Kenny’s running. We blocked as many as we could. They brought one extra. To hit it was a big play. I think it was a third down. So I was just fired up. It’s good stuff.
On if he’s been around a team like this who started slow, yet are winning despite many injuries…
No I haven’t been around a team like this. Guys understand that they are truly on a team. We’ve had the ‘Next Man Up’ motto and guys have stepped up and filled in tons of ways. I think along the way all three phases have started to help each other out. Tonight that punt block sparked everything. Then we got the scoop and the score, which is a bonus. So it’s good right now. We just need to keep the focus and keep moving forward.
On how playing the whole game tonight will help him next week and in the future…
All of the obvious reasons – the experience, the reps, seeing the looks and throwing the ball in the game – all of those things. We’re going to learn from the film. That’s going to give us some things to work on this week. Anytime you can get competitive snaps in this league, it’s only going to make you better. So it should help moving forward.
On the nerves and the speed of the game…
I didn’t notice the speed of the game. I knew what to expect from that perspective. But maybe I felt nerves a little bit. It’s nice to complete your first ball. We had the quick out to MarQuis Gray, so that was good. But speed of the game was not an issue.
On what it means to be the backup for so long and to have the chance to lead this team to the playoffs with two more wins…
It’s something. We’re focused on one at a time. That’s been our whole mindset. Obviously guys know what’s on the table and the possibilities that are out there. But we’re focused on one thing at a time. Like I said, we’re going to enjoy this one and get back on the grind next week.
On if he had a chance to absorb this week…
There will definitely be time to reflect about this week tonight and tomorrow. I’ll relax for a second and then get moving again. It’s on to the next one, but there will be time for that for sure.
On his approach on the fact that he is the QB of a team very much in the playoff chase…
I don’t’ know how to answer that other to say that we’re focused on one game at a time. I think we’ve had the results we wanted because of the guys’ mindset. That’s also my mindset. One week at a time. Do everything you can to win one game and the rest will take care of itself.
